Air-purifying apparatus



J. B. GUHIVIANN.

AIR PURIFYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 7, 1921.

1,41 ,29 I Patented June 6, 1922,

- 7 j 2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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J. B. GOHMANN.

AIR PURIFYING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1. 1921.

1,418,296. I A. j PatentedJufie 6,1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Jojzzz 5. Gafzmazzn;

affozucg To all whom it may concern.

STATES JOHN B. GQHMANTN, or LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.

. Aim-romaine APPARATUS.

,im a aa Be it known that I, JoHN B. GOHMANN, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Lin-- coln, in the-county of Lancaster and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inAir-PurifyingAppans, the section be in '40 paratus, of which the following is a specifi cation. I

My invention relates to means for purifying and moistening the air supplied --to rooms, apartmentsor other spaces in con junction with means for heating the air, or otherwise used, and its object is to provide for greater efliciency of operation as well as a simple, reliable and durable structure in devices of this character.

My invention consists in the combination of parts and inthe. details of construction and arrangement of parts as will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a general perspective view of an apparatus embodying my invention installed in conjunction with a furnace for heating the air and inducing its circulation through my apparatus, and showing difierent parts of the apparatus adjusted to various positions: a i F ig. 2 "is apartial perspective view similar to Fig. 1, but showing all of the parts adjusted into similar positions:

, Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section'on a plane corresponding to the .line 33 of Fig. 2 and enlarged;

F'g'. 4 1s apartial sectional elevation corresponding to. Fig. 3, but showing a modil i.

cationof the water-supply means Fig. 5 is a sectional detail of one of the on a plane corresponding to that of Fig. 3', butshowi'n'g' a modification of the pan, parts of which are omitted for lack of space: Fig. 6 is a partial transverse section showing how the pansare adjustably mounted'in the casing:

Fig. 7 is a vertical section showing an-' the air will have the'right degree of purity other embodiment of the invention:

Fig. 8 is an enlarged cross-section on' the line 8-8 of Fig. "7, and I Fig. 9 is a vertical sectionshowing an air washer for steam or hot water radiators.

My invention is especially intended for use in conjunction with hot-air furnaces,

although it will be understood that it-may be utilized independently of such furnaces:

Therefore. the illustration of itsuse in con- I specification of Letters Patent. Patent Application fiiea March 2, 1921; Serial No. 450,444.

merely illustrative. As here shown, the furnace 1 comprises the interior combustionsustaln ng means 2 from which a pipe 3 leads'for the outlet of products of combustion; with a casing 4 to compel the passage of air close to the means 2 for heating, from which the heated air passes out through the hot-air pipes 5 to the rooms or other spaces to which the heated air is to be supplied.

.When used in thi's conjunction,'my improved' apparatus comprises the casing '6 joined onto one side of the furnace-casing 4 and being preferably of box-like formation ed June 6, 1922f junction with the furnace in Fig. 1 is with a flat top' 7' and sides 8. It preferably .extendsup somewhat more than halfthe height of the furnace casing 4 to the 'flat back!) to which it is joined, and which baclr 9 thus forms the front ofthe air-washer casing; being, however, cut away at the b ottom leaving the air-intake'opening 10 from the air-washer casing -.into thefurnace casing The front of the' air-washer casing is 8 are ledges 11 extending horizontally from front to rear at intervals from the tops to the bottoms of the "sides; Supported on these ledges 11 are thepan's 12 each of shallow rectangular formation and so proportioned as to slide easily into the air-washer casing on-these ledges and be adjusted to any desired position forwardly or rearwardly thereof, as indicated in Fig. 1 where the pans areshown adjusted to various positions, each lower pan extending farther out 'to the rear than the next one above it.

It is the function of these pans 12 to hold water so that the air passing'through the open, and on the inner surfaces of the sides air-washer easing into the furnace casing, as

induced by the. heating of the air in the furnace'casing, will sweep across the surface of this water and'part with impurities, as well as absorb some of the water; so that when the air passes up through the hot-air pipes 5' into the space in the room. or other space,

and humidity. v

For the purpose of permitting thefree passage of air across each surface of water,

the front of the casing from the various 'pas sages 13 thus left overthe pans 12 will enter a downward passage 14 of ample cross-section to conduct all of the air from the passages 13 above the-level of the top of the air-intake of the furnace casing 4 and the lower front of the air-washer casing, as before'described. The air from those passages 13 below the level of this top will, of course, pass directly in through the opening lO.

Adjusting the pans forwardly or rearwardly in the casing, as illustrated in Fig. 1, somewhat affects the operation of the device, in that it affords lateral inlets to the rear parts of the passages 13 as well as of the inlet;'thus facilitating the entrance of the air and reducing the enclosed length of each passage 13 and thereby reducing somewhat the resistance to the passage of the air to have a convenient means for replenishing the water in the various pans I prefer to do this by providing each pan 12 with an outlet 14 in its bottom having a raised rim 15 but slightly lower than the rim 16 of the pan (Fig. This outlet is located away from the center of the pan, and with their outlets thus located, the pans are variously placed in the casing so that the outlet of each pan will be out of line with the outlet of. the pan immediately above it, as shown in Fig. 3. It will be imderstood'that all of the-pans may be made alike, even as to this relative location of the outlet 14*; and that this displacement of the outlets of adj acent pans may be effect-ediby putting each alternate pan into the casingbackwards. I

WVith the pans thus provided with the outlets 14, if water is supplied to the upper most pan it overflows thelower rim 15 of the outlet 14: before it reaches the higher rim 16 of the pan; and the water overflowing passes to the next lower pan which overflows in the same manner to the pan below it, and so on until each one of the pans is filled to the heightof the rim 15 of its respective outlet or overflow passage 1 1 A basin 17 is provided below the casing, as here shown being formed in the floor 18, and the overflow from the lowermost pan 1 2.passes into this basin 17, which basin in turn is provided, with an overflow outlet 19.

which may lead to a sewer or other means to dispose of the water that finally overflows. This basin 17 pieferably extends forward into the furnace-casing 4:, and the water in the basin, of course, has its surface swept by time while the furnace or other air-supplying means is in use in conjunction with my apparatus.

As shown in Fig.1, there is awater-supply.

pipe 20; leading back from the furnace 2 where it is connected to the water-heating apparatus in the furnace, which, being well understood, need not be illustrated or described herein, and opening through a faucet 21 into the upper-most pan of my apparatus. Such a faucet 21 may be manipulated by hand to lead water into the pans when needed. But this, of course, implies that one will watch the apparatus closely to see when the water is needed, and also if the faucet 21 be left open too long too much water will be supplied and will merely flow out through the overflow outlet 19 of the basin 17 and be wasted. employing steaming hot water is that a more effective purifying action is obtained, all dust, lint, germs and foul odors being arrested and separated from the air.

As shown in Fig. 3, the pipe 20 has inter-.

posed in it a valve 22 with a vertically sliding plug 23 having the upper end of the rod 24 connected to it, and the lower end of the rod being connected to a lever 25 having a fulcrum 26 on the side of thecasing forwardly of the rod 24:, and having at its free rear end a float 27 resting on the water in the basin 17. The parts are so proportioned as to size and weight that as long as the water is at a desirable level in the basin 17, the plug 23' will be held up to its seat in the valve 22 and no water can pass this valve; but as the level of the water falls in the basin--17, the plug 23 will be pulled down i.

away from its .seat by the weight of the parts and open valve 22, and the faucet 21 having been left open, water will pass into the uppermost pan 12. It being necessary for the float 27 to be raised before the valve 22 will be closed, and the necessary rising of the water in the basin 17 being dependent upon overflow of all of the pans 12, it follows that'all of the pans will be filled to overflowing before the valve 22 begins .to be closed, and the basin 17 will, of course, be filled to overflowing by the time the valve 22 is closed. The operation of the device with the float in the basin 17 will be satisfactory if enough fall of water in the basin 17 to open the valve 22 takes place before the water in any one of the pans 12 is entirely exhausted, it being understood that the need is to have the required exposed surface of water in each one of the pans at all times, re ardless of the particular depth of the b a water in the pan.

The advantage of As shown in Fig. 4, the water-supply pipe 20 enters at the bottom of the casing and may lead directly from a water main and supply cold water to the apparatus, .or may lead in this way from the heating apparatus. However this may be, when the pipe thus enters at the bottom it has the valve 22' at the bottom of the apparatus with the lever- 25 having its fulcrum 26 directly onl the valve body and its float 27 resting on the surface of the water in the basin 17, as in the preceding example. The pipe 20 leads up and discharges into the uppermost pan 12; and, as here shown, is not provided with any faucet 21. It will be understood that the faucet .21 may be usedwith the automatic valve 22 or 22', or may be omitted when either one of these valves is provided;- or,

if automatic governing of water supply is not to be used, the faucet 21may be used alone, as shown in Fig. 1.

The overflow passage with its raised rim in each pan may be provided by forcing the metal of the pan up around an opening in thebottom thereof, as shown in detail in.

Fig. 5 where the passage 14 is through the raised parts'of the metal with its rim 15 in superposed and spaced relation, and they somewhat below the rim 16 of the pan 12.

In the embodiment of the invention as disclosed in Figs. 7 and 8, the water pans are so constructed and arranged that the casing 6 may be eliminated, thereby simpli fying and cheapening the apparatus. Eachpan comprises abottom 28, end walls 29 and side walls 30. It will be noted that the side walls are somewhat higher than the end walls, and near their top edges they have inturned flanges or ledges 31.

Several pans constructed as hereinbefore described are employed, they being placed are supported in this way by seating a pan on the ledges 31 of the next pan below. In

asmuch as the ledges 31 are above the plane 1 of the top edges of the end walls 29, it will be evident that there is left a space between the bottom and the 0 en top of each two adjacent pans, so' that the air may enter this space and pass across the surfaceof the water in the pans.

The stack bf pans is so arranged with re! spect to the air intake opening 10 of the furnace casing 4;, that the rear low ends of the pans face said opening, leaving the high sides of the pans at the sides of the stack. It will therefore be seen thatxthestack of pans forms a series of narrow airipassages t0 the intake 10, and the air in passing through these narrow spaces, and across the surface-- of the water in the pans, is relieved .-of its impurities and is' also humidified. To assist in holding the pans in superposed relation they are also provided withprops 32 rising from the bottom thereof to the height of the flanges 31. 'These props do not extend throughout the entire width of the pan and in the same manner as the overflow means previously described. The overflow 33 may be a tube rising to a height slightly less than that of the walls 29, or they may be formed by an apertured raised portion of the pan bottom. The pan at the bottom 'of the stack has no overflow, and it rests directly on the floor or other supporting surface.

At the top ,of the stack of pans is a lid or cover plate 34supported by the furnace casing 4. I I The supply of water. for the pans is ob tained by a pipe 35 connected to the. water heating apparatus of the furnace, and leading to a funnel 36 supported by the plate 34 to discharge into the top pan. The pipe 35 is provided with a valve "37 for controlling the flow of water to the pans. It will be understood that the apparatus'may also be provided with the automatic valve control as before, and a valved water supply pipe -42 enters the hood to discharge into the top pan. All 'the pans, except the bottom pan have overflows as before, and the bottom pan is fitted with a gage 43 so that the water level may be observed, said gage being positioned on the outside of the hood. Beneath the'top of the hood is a baffle plate 44 to deflect the air cross the top pan.

The entire assembly of hood and pans is removable from the radiator for cleaning.

I claim:

1. In an air-washer, a casing, an upright series of shallow containers in said casing spaced apartwith passages between thecontainers for the passage of currents of air in' parallel over the surfaces of bodies'of water held in said containers, one'side "of said casingbeing open to admit said currents of air, and the other side of said casing being open for the'escape of said currents of air, each one of said containers being slidably mounted in said casing, whereby it may be adj'usted to' project from the first menti open side of the casing.

ned

2. In an air-washer, a series of water pans arranged in superposed relation, said pans having opposite side walls which are higher than opposite end walls, and said side walls having ledges to seat the-pan next above in the series, said ledges being below the top edges of the side walls and above the plane of the top edges of the end walls.

3. In an air-Washer, a series of water pans arranged in superposed relation, said pans having side walls which are higher than opposite end walls, and means for supporting the, pans on each other with their bottoms spaced from the end walls of the pan below.

4:. In an air-washer, a series of water pans arranged in superposed relation, said pans having side walls which are higher than 0pposite end walls, and means on the side walls for supporting the pans on each other with their bottoms spaced from the end walls of the pan below. r

5. In an air-washer, a series of waterpans arranged in superposed relation, said pans having side walls which are higher than op posite end walls, and means for supporting the panson each other with their bottoms spaced from the end walls-of the pan below. and for closing the spaces between the pans at the sides of the series.

7 In an air-washer, a series of water pans, and means on said pans {or supporting the same on each other in spaced superposed relation, with the spaces between the p'ans closed at the sides of the series and open at the ends of theyseries.

In testimony whereof I'afiixmy signature.

"JOHN B. GOHMANN. 

